The goal of playing the game

Playing competitive sports can teach students manypositive social behaviours and life skills, but above all theyrealise that true competition is aboutworking on themselves.

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Slamming her racquet on the floor and callingthe umpire a liarand a thief garnered world-wide attention for Serena Williams at this year’s US Open.Facing three code-of-conduct violations for illegal coaching, racquet abuse and verbally abusing a judge,totalling to apenalty of US$17,000 many have argued that the price she paid for her outburst cost her a lot more than the monetary fine.The incident has sinceopened a discussion about the importance and value of sportsmanship and accepting defeat or setbacks as part and parcel of life.

“Sport is one of the best ways to teach young people how to win and lose. Learning to be gracious and respectful[by experiencing both] is very important in life.”

Mr Washko, who recently helped set up an NAE regional Global Games football event for students under 14 years old, said that large sporting activities createa positive and constructive environment to teach the traits of sportsmanship such as learning to play fair, following directions, respecting both team members and opponents and encouraging team work.

“They’re basic cornerstones. All our schools try to teach these through a number ofregional opportunitiesfor STEAM learning and the performing arts. In fact, being a member of a large group of schools shows that we are part of a team.”

Dustin Embrey, an athletics specialist for NAE’sregional teamin The Americas,said competitive sports shapes “the bigger picture” of a student’s life throughthe physical, emotional and mentalbenefitsit brings such as valuing exercisefor a healthy body and mind and improvingone’sself-esteem – aspects that help balance the fast-paced, technology driven and sedentary environment in which we now live.But in this increasingly competitive jobs market, students who participate in sports at schoolare alsolearning key skills that are invaluable for when they enter the workforce.

“When you get underneath this further, competitive sports teaches students about leadership, adversity, goal-setting and team building,” Mr Embrey said.

“Such skillsets, when developed at a young age, can be the foundation of a student’s success in both their personal and professional life.”

“It allows our students to understand that real competition is with oneself,” Mr De Korodi said.

”Bytaking on a particularchallenge, focussing, planning, learning from others, training and achieving by measuring ourselves against our own success and failures. But it also gives us that feeling of elation.”